After our deep dive into W3AO’s record-breaking Field Day operations, we came back with one simple question for Frank W3LPL and Rol K3RA: What radios actually get the job done—and which ones are banned—at Field Day? Their answers might surprise you.

Field Day means different things to different hams. For some, it’s a competition—a chance to test gear, strategy, and skill. When we spoke with the W3AO team about their 28-year run of record-breaking efforts, we celebrated that spirit. But Field Day can also look like this: lawn chairs in a field, lawn mowing, antenna builds, and a loose pact that everyone makes at least one QSO—if they feel like it.

At KM7W in rural Montana, Chris Hurlbut KL9A and Dan Craig N6MJ—two of the most respected contesters in amateur radio—set aside the race for rate and mults. Instead, they invited family, friends, and fellow ops to simply enjoy the experience. Some flew in, others drove across the country. Together they raised antennas, told stories around the firepit, dodged rattlesnakes, and made over 3,000 contacts—without ever writing a shift schedule.

Levi’s improvised satellite station—with a last-minute-built handheld yagi—became the hit of the weekend. At 2:30 a.m., they tracked the International Space Station under the stars, calling out headings while trying not to wake the others. That’s Field Day, too.

Join the conversation and subscribe to Q5 Worldwide Ham Radio for more stories like this, where signal reports matter—but so do the people behind the mic and the ones behind the op.

Thanks to DX Engineering, whose support helps fuel every version of Field Day—from the multi-multi juggernauts to backyard ops with just enough coax and a cooler of cold drinks.

Gregg Marco W6IZT has participated in some of ham radio’s most well-known DXpeditions—and a few dozen vacation-style ones too. From his ridge-top shack in rural Georgia, he’s spent the last two decades blending deep technical chops with a passion for the hobby. But his latest venture—PJ6Y from Saba Island—isn’t just another stamp in the logbook. It’s the next step in a generational handoff that began with 3D2Y Rotuma.

In this episode, W6IZT joins Q5 to talk about how, at 70 years old, his approach to DXpeditioning is all about putting young operators in charge. His new model leans into mentorship and real-time problem solving. The PJ6Y team includes first-time DXpeditioners from nine countries. Thanks to partnerships with Youth on the Air and a growing off-island remote crew operating through Next Gen RIBs, they’re learning what it really takes to build, troubleshoot, and run an expedition.

Gregg recounts the spark that started it all (his wife, Wendy), the stethoscope used to diagnose a seawater-soaked tuner, and themakeshift shelter roof ripped off mid-contest. These aren’t just stories—they’re signals of a deeper shift. With young hams now leading workshops, designing station schedules, and preparing for future trips with no “old man” supervision, W6IZT is quietly rewriting what it means to be seasoned.

Join the conversation—and subscribe to Q5 Worldwide Ham Radio to follow the voices shaping the future of DXing.

Special thanks to DX Engineering for supporting the innovators, mentors, and adventurers pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in amateur radio—wherever in the world they may be.